Lit Con 1: Motivating Young Readers
Lit Con 1: Motivating Young Readers
How can you switch on reluctant or resistant readers to books?
I recently attended the UKLA/NEU Primary Conference 2024, and for my next few posts I’ll share some of the insights I gathered – both great and questionable…
You can read my overall thoughts in my personal blog. But in this Education section, the topics will be…
Motivating young readers
Supporting SEN in ‘mainstream’ classes
Comprehension vs Enjoyment
Playing with words
The Conference began with a keynote from Professor Teresa Cremin, lead researcher on the OU’s Reading for Pleasure initiative. Her main theme seemed to be…
Motivating Young Readers
Professor Cremin is a big name amongst evangelists of Reading for Pleasure. While the OECD, Institute of Education, et al consistently prove that recreational reading is “the single most important indicator of a child’s future success”, Cremin’s work has (like mine) been more practical: What can be done to increase recreational reading?
Her work is also extensive. Even she struggled to sum it up within the time allotted for her keynote! As such, she went at such a pace that I fear many of her best insights didn’t get the attention they deserved – or needed.
So here, I’ll share those of Cremin’s brilliant insights for which I can elucidate further…
Cremin’s Point: One of the greatest motivating factors for young learners is an element of responsibility.
I believe this point is well-known, at least in the UK. I’d say the majority of schools I visit run a scheme which pairs each learner aged 9+ with a younger schoolgoer, charging them to be a ‘guardian angel’ of sorts.
Responsibility seems to be an intrinsic trigger for maturity. But when considering ways to encourage Reading for Pleasure at home, the only suggestion Cremin managed to share was to set elder learners the task of reading to younger siblings.
There are three obvious issues with this advice that Cremin didn’t have time to explore. Firstly… what if the learner is an only child?!
Secondly… what if they’re the youngest sibling?
And finally… what if they’re a struggling reader?
Chip’s Tip 1: Remove reliance on a live audience
Those first two issues can be overcome simply by setting the homework to practice and/or record the story. This could be done with siblings, but doesn’t have to be. It could be preparation for their work with children back in school, either younger ones or their peers.
Even if they don’t have siblings, there’s a good chance their parents will see them enjoying their story rehearsals…
Chip’s Tip 2: Remove reliance on the text
When setting the homework, make it clear that the learners don’t have to use the words on the page. They can make up their own words based on any illustrations, and/or rely on their memory of your reading of the story.
This may seem counterintuitive – isn’t the aim to get them reading? It is, and this approach does, as I’ve shared in this post here, and in more detail in my book All the Better to Read You With: Stories & Lessons to Inspire Reading for Pleasure (where you’ll find case studies with examples of it working, even with EAL).
In brief, the secret is that you connect their enjoyment of the story with the book, then allow that enjoyment to heighten – which simultaneously strengthens that connection. Soon they’ll be personally motivated to improve their reading so they can access more stories…
Cremin’s Point: Choose books that showcase the joy of reading, such as Mariajo Ilustrajo’s I Love Books
Cremin took us through the whole of this book, which begins with a character who hates books and feels forced to read. It’s an incredible book: the story will connect with many a reluctant/resistant reader, while the illustrations ignite intrigue.
There’s just one issue Cremin didn’t have time to cover: What if a learner is also a struggling reader, and/or refuses to even hold a book?
Chip’s Tip: Shared Reading is NOT Guided Reading
Reading aloud with your learners, taking the time to exchange thoughts with them, exploring the illustrations together… That’s where the engagement comes, followed soon by their motivation to seek those pleasures independently.
Great though Ilustrajo’s book is (and it is great – I love it!), older readers will likely detect the moral a mile off, and the more resistant readers will likely go on the defensive. I therefore recommend using this approach with books that similarly celebrate creativity without such obvious moralising – such as the equally excellent Sir Charlie Stinky Socks series by Kristina Stephenson.
Cremin’s Point: Good writers aren’t necessarily those who spell correctly, but those who convey meaning effectively
I wholeheartedly agree with Cremin on this point, and was sad that she had to skip over any advice she may have given about how to encourage this among learners.
I’ve already exhausted my time for this article, though, and feel this is a larger field of worms to wrestle with – so you know what? That can be my focus for the series after this one… $;-)
Next up from the UKLA/NEU Primary Conference, though: Supporting SEN learners in ‘mainstream’ classes…
Please forward this support to a colleague – they may use it as much, or more, than you.
You’ll then feel the intense satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped even more children reap the rewards of recreational reading. $;-)
Got a question or comment about any of the above?
Please get in touch – I’m here to support you. $:-)